A Potions Master for Christmas
by One Red Shoe
Summary: Hermione Granger comes back to Hogwarts after spending an extended amount of time in Australia after the war. Severus Snape returns to teaching after three years of deciding what to do now he has a chance to live post war. When the pair of them meet again they are instantly drawn to one another, but predictably it takes intervention from an unlikely source to get them to admit it.


**Disclaimer:-** _My plot is mine,_ _however, I neither own nor earn anything from this story._ _Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling and her affiliates._

 **A/N:-** _Here is a small offering of romantic fluff for Christmas. I hope you enjoy it. Even though I believe that this story firmly falls into an M rating, the version posted here is slightly abridged, just to be sure. The full text of the story is available on 'An Archive of Our Own' where I post as Oneredshoe. Thank you to my beta, Golden Asp for her speedy work on this oneshot, and thank you to all of you who continue to read what I produce, I appreciate you all. Happy Christmas everybody!_

 **A Potions Master for Christmas**

After the war, once he had recovered and realised that he had been given a new chance, Severus Snape thought that it might be time to break down some of the walls he'd built up around himself. Finally, he was free from all his former masters, hospitals, Aurors, Death Eaters, and he wanted to change. He quickly found however, that as much as he tried, it made no difference. It appeared that there had been too much water under the bridge where most people were concerned, and he may as well have died in the wretched shack on the day of The Final Battle.

This was the third year now since his emancipation, but little had changed. So he gave up on solitude and finally gave in to Minerva's suggestion that he return to Hogwarts. He sold his hated childhood home and came back to teach Potions; at least the activity kept most of the misery at bay… well except during holidays, and especially Christmas.

It seemed that everyone else had a partner, family, familiar, or at least someone to spend the holidays with… except Severus. Well, he had recently become reacquainted with someone he had come to realise that he might like to get to know better, but he was so convinced she could never want him that he was actively pushing her away so he wouldn't get hurt. He sighed, perhaps he should just give in and buy himself a familiar, but he had never found one that he felt any affinity with.

Hermione Granger left England after The Final Battle. She'd gone to Australia to retrieve her parents. However, she had been unsuccessful in her quest, and she was now sitting alone in the Gryffindor common room on Christmas Eve. Every other student—yes she had come back at age twenty-three to finish her schooling—had gone home for Christmas.

She no longer had a family to go to. It had taken a long time for her to finally realise that what she was doing to herself in Australia was not healthy. Certainly she had found her parents, but no matter what she tried, she could not undo the memory charm she had put on them.

When she first arrived, she was lucky enough to find that Monica and Wendell Wilkin's dental practice had been looking for a receptionist and she had gained the job, ironically with a reference her father had written for her the year before they moved to Australia.

Once installed in the job she had started experimenting with counter-spells to return her parent's memories, but nothing had worked. Eventually she came back to England for her own sanity's sake and hopefully the support of her friends.

The only problem was that her friends had now moved on. She was not instantly welcomed with open arms, even though they had been the ones that stopped writing to her. It was obvious that they were under the impression she had abandoned them.

Harry and Ginny were married and had a toddler with another one on the way. Ron, the one who had told her he would wait for her, was engaged to Susan Bones who was also pregnant, and this betrayal hurt her, but it also relieved her. Whilst she had been away she had worked out that she and Ron were not going to work as a couple, they were just too different.

It didn't matter about the reasons really, but there was no invitation forthcoming to Christmas at The Burrow now she was back. She was just not a part of their lives anymore, and because she had not told them otherwise, Hermione assumed—or rather, liked to think—that they thought she was going to spend her Christmas with her parents.

There was one person she would have liked to spend Christmas with, and in a way she was. Unfortunately, it was not under the circumstances she had dreamed it would be. During her time away from England, there was one person who had remained in her thoughts. At first she thought it was simply because she'd had a slight crush on him since her fifth year at Hogwarts, and this coupled with the horror she had seen him endure in the Shrieking Shack had cemented him into her memory.

However, she discovered when she returned to Hogwarts to finish her schooling that his voice and those dark fathomless eyes still affected her to the point of not breathing. Hermione even shivered now thinking about it.

The sad part was though that it was still obvious that he thought she was a bushy-haired, insufferable, know-it-all. In fact he had told her so this very afternoon… well not in so many words, but in a tight-mouthed expression that simply screamed it at her before he had turned on his heel and stalked from the room.

So, here she was with nowhere else to go, her dream guy at the other end of the castle, and little or no humanity in between, and she was denied even this. For Hermione Granger, this seemed to be the last straw, and she could not stand the injustice anymore. Uncurling herself from the chair by the fire, she wandered out of Gryffindor tower and absently started on a trek around the castle to try and settle her mind.

She was so distracted she hadn't even put her heavy cloak on. When she reached the top of the castle, Hermione sat at the large windows on the seventh floor and watched the sunset morph into twilight and then change to evening. She shivered slightly, but didn't care about the cold, not even as the temperature plummeted and the moon rose over the frozen lake and new fallen snow. Her breath turned to white mist, but still she sat there mourning what might have been.

Finally, after what seemed an age she rose and continued her aimless wanderings, a sheen of unshed tears obscuring her view. She didn't see that she was being watched, and much to the delight of her watcher she never saw it coming. Her attacker cackled with glee as she suddenly started sliding, her arms windmilling trying to maintain her balance, and he grinned at her squeal as ice-cold water took her breath away.

All in a single instant, Hermione felt herself falling and heard a sickening crack, pain radiated through her ankle and her head as her skull smacked on the stone floor. Blackness enveloped her and the ice she had fallen on started to take on a ruby-red hue in the light of the full moon as a pair of mischievous, orange eyes bulged in joy at his prank, and then followed their owner away, as cackling even louder, he started singing one of his silly songs.

Back in his quarters, Severus was sitting uneasily at his desk. He was very cross with himself. Every time he tried to concentrate on his research the broken-hearted expression of a certain young woman broke back through his concentration and twisted the knife deeper into his heart.

This afternoon he had felt like a heel, especially when he came back out of his office once he had heard the door close behind her and found an elegantly wrapped gift on his desk. The small gift was enclosed in green paper, had a silver bow and an artfully added piece of holly, nothing gaudy or over the top; put simply, it had been beautiful. Even if it only contained a toothpick—which he doubted—it was exactly the kind of package he had always longed to receive.

 _I didn't even let her finish her Christmas wish to me… cut her off mid-sentence_ , and he cringed again at his abysmal treatment of her. The truth was he craved her attention, but it scared him to accept it. He had only ever allowed himself to hope for love once before… and look how well that had turned out. He really did think that pushing her away was the right thing to do. _It is the safe thing to do_ , his mind told him. _I cannot get hurt if I do not care… but the problem is I do care. As soon as she entered the castle again at the beginning of the year, I knew I was in serious trouble._

While she'd been away she had grown into a beautiful witch, one who moved with swan-like grace and feminine charm. Her heart-shaped face had matured into loveliness and her once bushy hair fell in copious curls down her back, and she intoxicated him.

Severus knew he would have to be able to function around her without falling to his knees and making a spectacle of himself each time he saw her, so he chose to deal with her by being as cold-hearted as he ever had been.

She would do her NEWTS and leave the castle, and he knew he had to be extremely careful because he couldn't even hide behind the excuse of being her professor. She participated in the seventh year classes, yes, but Minerva refused to call her a student. She didn't wear a uniform and she even sat at the high table as the headmistress's permanent guest.

He tried to reason yet again that even though his coldness hurt her that he was saving her from further hurt by pushing her away. Severus growled and summoned his heavy cloak; a good walk around the castle would clear his head. He felt another stab of remorse that he quite possibly could have had company if he had been more civil, and slamming his door he stalked off up the hallway.

He hadn't gone far when the blasted poltergeist came racing passed making the doors rattle up and down the corridor and sing-songing something about getting someone a good one. Severus had no idea what he was on about, but felt gratified when the menace abruptly shut-up and changed direction when he saw Severus drawing his wand.

The Potions master watched after him wondering what he meant. As far as Snape was concerned he was alone in the castle. Shrugging, he started up the last stairs toward the entrance hall. When he arrived there was an inordinate commotion going on, ghosts wailing and portraits jabbering. It wasn't until he heard the words, 'Peeves', 'banished' and 'poor Miss Granger' that he bellowed, "Silence!"

There was instant attention, and it was the portrait of Albus Dumbledore over the entrance that spoke. "Oh, Severus, my boy, please go to the seventh floor immediately. Peeves has caused a terrible accident."

Severus suddenly put two and two together and he was sprinting. "Where?" he called to Dumbledore as he ran, and it was then that he registered that Sir Nick, the Gryffindor ghost was gliding along beside him.

"Just follow me," the spectre indicated. Both Potions master and spirit then hurried to the scene of the crime. "Beware, Peeves has put ice on the floor," the ghost told Severus as he approached the prone figure, slumped in the hallway.

Severus shot a gripping spell to his boots and continued on, aware that the portraits were following him. He skidded to a halt and fell to his knees beside Hermione, panting, but he found a faint pulse when he applied his fingers to her neck, indicating that he was not too late. Severus breathed a mental sigh and braced his hands on his thighs trying to regain his breath as he called, "She's alive! Albus, see if you can contact Poppy," and without even a second thought he said, "I'll take her to my quarters."

"Right you are, my boy," the former headmaster answered.

Without thinking further, Severus scooped up the limp and freezing form and enclosing her in his heavy cloak for warmth, then he started on the arduous journey back to his quarters. As he walked Severus turned to Nick. "Tell that poltergeist that I'm coming for him, and if he has any sense in that dunderheaded brain of his he will banish himself from this castle before I find him," he told the Gryffindor ghost through gritted teeth.

"Don't you worry, Professor, even the Baron is fond of poor Miss Granger. There will be a ghost's council tonight, and Peeves will not bother anyone again for a very long time," Nick replied.

Severus glanced down at the pale figure in his arms. "What is so poor about Hermione Granger?" he asked. There was no sign of sarcasm in his voice, only genuine interest.

"It's very sad," Nick looked at the dour professor and then to his burden. "I guess she is similar to you, no family, I mean."

"What do you mean no family? She has parents and Potter… and the Weasleys," he recited back to the almost headless ghost.

"She told me soon after she came back that she couldn't undo the memory charms she had placed on her parents to protect them during the war. They now don't know they have a daughter." Nick sighed, "Harry Potter has moved on, he has a family now, and even though Ronald Weasley said he would wait for her, he's engaged to someone else… Miss Bones I believe."

"Oh," Severus gasped, looking down at the unconscious young woman and noticing for the first time the frozen crystals of tears on her cheeks. _You're a bastard Snape, she reached out to you, and you turned her away and now look what's happened_ , he pondered heatedly. "But Molly and Arthur wouldn't abandon her," Severus said suddenly.

"Well, she told me that they didn't issue an invitation to her for Christmas," the ghost told him.

Severus had reached the dungeon corridor, and he wandlessly took down his wards. Just as he made it into the sitting room, the Floo flared and Poppy Pomfrey stepped through. Then he heard a low groan from the now shivering witch in his arms. "Steady, Miss Granger," he told her, "You're safe and Madam Pomfrey is going to treat you."

Casting an impervious on his lounge, Severus lay Hermione down as gently as he could and stepped back to allow Poppy to move in.

"What happened?"

"Peeves," Severus replied calmly. "From the mess, I'm assuming he iced the hallway and then threw cold water at her. I cast some preliminary diagnostics; she has a gash on the back of her head, a concussion and a broken ankle," he continued.

Poppy nodded her agreement. "She will need rest and someone to care for her," the mediwitch stated as she healed the gash in the back of Hermione's head.

"I will care for her," Severus said, gasping slightly at the pained groan issuing from the woman on the lounge. "I owe her that much," he mumbled, more to himself than anyone, and his voice sounded suspiciously broken.

As he had walked back here with a witch, whom he found fitted perfectly in his arms, Severus Snape made a decision; he would try and befriend Hermione. It looked like he would have two weeks in which to do it as there would be no one else around.

Poppy gave him an arched eyebrow. "That is most unlike you, Severus," she said, vanishing Hermione's footwear and starting to repair the ankle. "She will need to stay off this ankle for about five days," she told Severus, and he nodded his understanding. After a moment Poppy said, "You know you would make a good pair, don't you? You're very similar."

Hermione had been drifting in and out of consciousness, and had started shivering violently now that she was away from the warmth of Severus' body. When she heard her professor say he would take care of her, her heart leapt and she now fought to get her eyes to stay open.

Feeling a warming charm wash over her, Hermione finally managed to open her eyes to see it was Severus who had cast it and her eyes snapped to his face when the matron told him that they would make a good pair. She was gratified to see him not scowling, but trying to hide a slight smile.

Poppy finished bandaging Hermione's ankle and looked back to her eyes to see her awake. "Oh hello, how are you feeling?" she asked.

Hermione's mouth felt like it had grown fur, but she managed a slight nod, "Not too bad, but my head is woolly."

Poppy sighed, "I've healed the concussion, but your head will feel a little vague for a few hours. Are you comfortable to stay here with Professor Snape?"

Hermione's eyes sought Snape's. "Are you comfortable for me to stay with you, sir?"

"Miss Granger, I would not have offered if I had not been," his silky voice told her.

She smiled slightly, and was gobsmacked when it became apparent that he was trying to return to gesture. After a moment too long, she turned back to the Matron. "I am happy to stay here," she told her.

"Good, then I'll wish you both a good night. Keep the pain potion up when it's needed, Severus," she told him and made for the Floo. "See you both when school comes back."

They suddenly found themselves alone, and Severus wasted little time. He swooped around the lounge and sat as Hermione attempted to sit herself up a little. "I'm very sorry about this afternoon," he said in a rush.

Hermione was stunned, "Y-you are?" she stuttered. "W-why?" and then added, "S-sir," as an afterthought.

Severus closed his eyes and looked at the floor. "I'm ashamed to say that I was deliberately trying to be cold to you."

"Oh," she gulped. "Then perhaps I better go," she managed softly.

"Miss Granger, please allow me to finish." Hermione's eyes snapped up to his and then down to her hands when she felt her still shaking digits enclosed in his warmer ones. "I wanted you to keep hating me because… because it was easier," he admitted.

Hermione looked puzzled. "That makes no sense."

Severus sighed. "It makes no sense, but it was the safe option." He watched her still shivering and said, "You need a warm bed, and perhaps some tea."

Hermione was feeling more than a little flustered by this announcement, especially since he was still holding her hands and his thumbs were absently gliding over her knuckles. Their eyes seemed locked together and both these things were somehow infusing her with warmth she had never felt before.

Severus suddenly seemed to realise what he was doing and abruptly stood, breaking the spell. He took a huge, almost guilty stride away from her at the same moment as the Floo flared and Minerva's head appeared in the fire.

Minerva McGonagall had fathomed the guilty look on Severus' face and spied Hermione blushing on the lounge before either of the occupants of the room could speak.

Having been friends for more years than she cared to remember with one meddler extraordinaire named Albus Dumbledore, she gave an almost sly smile. The headmistress had seen the sexual tension building between these two and she had hopes for a match between them, but Severus had been being his usual self and she was afraid he might miss the chance.

However, Minerva was still worried about the young woman, especially on seeing her still shivering slightly. "Are you all right?" she questioned, glancing again at a still very flustered looking Severus.

Hermione sighed. She really just wanted to go back to sleep, but nodded, which made her head thump and feel like it was about to roll off her shoulders. "I'm fine, Minerva."

Addressing Severus, Minerva asked, "Do you wish me to come back and assist you?"

Severus seemed to come out of his stupor. "No," he said a little too quickly. "No… we'll muddle through… won't we, Miss Granger?"

Hermione couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Yes… yes, s-sir. I think we will."

"Very well then, if you're sure," she gave them one last glance each. "Happy Christmas, Severus… Hermione," and she was gone.

Taking a deep and somewhat unsteady breath, Severus finally spoke when he had torn his eyes away from the now merrily burning fire. "Well, Miss Granger, it seems I have been deemed as a suitable companion for you. Allow me to assist you to your bed," and he awkwardly came forward, but easily lifted her into his arms. "Did Minerva allocate you an elf, Miss Grang…"

Hermione coyly placed her arms around his neck on instinct, and was instantly intoxicated by his nearness; it made her speak without thinking. "Hermione… my name is Hermione… um, s-s-sir."

He stopped dead half way across the room, and Hermione ducked her head fearing she had upset him. After what seemed an age, his answer was almost inaudible, "Severus… I would like it if you called me, Severus… Hermione."

Hermione's heart clenched at the uncertain expression on his face. It was obvious that he was tentative about this step, and he was expecting her to reject him. But why would he do that when she had just asked the same thing of him? Then his history started to come back to her through the fog in her brain, and she said with as much sincerity as she could muster. "Thank you. I would be very pleased to call you by your name." She tried to smile, but it turned into a yawn, which she attempted to cover with her hand.

He started walking again. "Come, you need rest, and you didn't answer my question." Hermione gave him a slightly puzzled look. "Do you know how to call an elf?" Then he paused as if not believing that he could call her by her name. "Hermione"

This time she did manage to smile without yawning, but she shook her head. "N-no, why?"

"Then I will put my elf at your disposal, she can get you your sleepwear etc," he clarified.

"Oh," Hermione gasped. "I didn't even think of that. Thank you."

Severus placed her on the bed in his guest room. He looked around at it, he very rarely had use for it, and never as a guest room, but it seemed that his elf had been keeping it in order. "Tunie," he called.

"How is I serving you, Potions professor, sir?" the elf asked as she arrived.

"Tunie, this is Miss Hermione Granger. She will be my guest for the foreseeable future. Go to Gryffindor tower and bring her what she asks you for, please." The elf waited as Severus turned to Hermione. "I will allow you to get settled and I'll return with tea when Tunie informs me you are ready."

Hermione flushed but said, "I would like that, thank you."

After he had quietly shut the door, Hermione jumped slightly when the elf asked, "What is Miss requiring?"

"Oh," Hermione gasped. She placed her wand on the bedside table before telling the elf what to collect.

A little later, Hermione, with Tunie's assistance, had managed to get ready for bed. As she sat in the huge and comfy four-poster bed with an extra blanket around her shoulders thanks to the elf, Hermione found herself gobsmacked at the chain of events that would not only see her having company for Christmas, but even better, exactly the company she had wanted.

Severus knocked before he entered the room. "I took the liberty of preparing some toast as well," he told her as he set the tray to hover and charmed the bed sheets so the crumbs would not land, but then he turned to leave.

"I would like it if you stayed. Share this with me… please, Severus." She saw colour rise in his pale cheeks, but he nodded and summoned the chair from the corner.

"Very well, Miss Gr… Hermione," his dark eyes held hers. Handing Hermione her tea, he then conjuring a second cup which he tapped with his wand to fill. "Are you comfortable?"

Hermione smiled. "Yes…" and then after a pause, she asked, "What happened to me?"

Severus' eyes narrowed in remembrance, and his voice was full of venom as he just said one word. "Peeves."

"Oh," Hermione gasped. "I guess I wasn't exactly paying attention," she ducked her head. "I was pretty upset."

Severus inhaled sharply; had she been upset because he had rejected her offer of Christmas spirit? The Potions master found himself speaking before he had completely thought things through. "I hope it wasn't from our interaction this afternoon?"

"Somewhat, but not entirely," she replied slowly, taking a sip of her tea. "There are not a great many things going right for me at the moment. I mean, I'm twenty-three and still completing my NEWTS, for Merlin's sake. My only friends have moved on without me, and… and n-no family," Hermione cleared her throat, and taking another sip of tea, she shrugged.

Placing his cup on the tray, Severus tentatively reached forward but then thought better of the idea and retracted his hand. He looked away a second, and cleared his throat. "How would you like to spend Christmas, if you had the chance?" he asked after considering what to say.

Hermione swallowed the last of her piece of toast, she'd seen him thinking of picking up her hand, and was disappointed that he had changed his mind, but she managed to say, "Honestly?"

"Yes, honestly," he affirmed, having another attempt at a smile.

This made her relax a little. "If I had my choice, the day would start the night before with decorating then with a sleep-in." Hermione didn't add that her sleep-in would include cuddling up to, and maybe more, with her wizard. "…I adore sleeping late in a warm bed in winter." Her eyes took on a faraway look. "This would be followed by a late breakfast where gifts were exchanged," she looked at him and smiled, "and then a walk outside to stretch our legs." Hermione's smile faltered, and her voice was husky when she continued, "and then visiting family." She swiped at her eye. "Very little of that is going to happen, is it?"

"I don't know," Severus replied seriously. "We'll see," he finally settled on, watching her stifling a yawn. "I think you need some sleep. Is there anything else I can get you?" he asked, vanishing the tray and its contents.

He noticed she hesitated a moment, before saying, "No, I think I'll be fine. Good night, Severus." Hermione saw him nod and start turning away as she added quickly. "Thank you."

"It was no trouble, I'll see you in the morning. Good night," and he was gone.

Outside the door, Severus stood immobile, staring at the dark wood of the door once he'd shut it. Hermione Granger was his guest; the same young woman who had given him a Christmas present this afternoon, and who he had walked out on before she could hand it to him. This was the same woman he had been pining after all term, and now he had a list of exactly what she wanted to do for Christmas. He sighed. Merlin help him he was going to do his best to make it up to her, to try and make her wishes come true.

Severus wasn't sure what had come over him, but he was almost certain that this was fate giving him a chance to make things right. He wandered to his liquor cabinet and poured a small measure of Firewhisky into a crystal tumbler. Severus didn't often drink, but he sometimes did so to relax himself enough for his thought processes to activate.

He looked around his cosy, but devoid of Christmas decorations, sitting room. The thought occurred to him that the teachers were allowed to ask their elf to decorate for them. "Tunie," he called, "I want these rooms to look right for Christmas."

The elf grinned at him, "Yes sir," and she vanished with a pop.

Thinking further he muttered, "I need to procure a gift." Sitting back in his favourite chair, his thoughts swirling chaotically, but then something made his eyes focus on a tiny bottle peeking out from behind the photo of his mother.

"Perfume, I'm a Potions master," he leapt to his feet and went to his stores. Severus focused his mind, "What were the prevailing aromas when I carried her tonight?" he questioned himself quietly, and then set to work. As he worked he wondered why she had not been able to undo the memory charms she'd cast on her parents.

By two in the morning all he needed to do was allow the perfume to settle until later that morning. Perhaps he could get some sleep now. He wandered tiredly into his sitting room and stopped dead in shock. Tunie had done a wonderful job of decorating.

However, on approaching the door to Hermione's room en route to his own he heard a plaintive groan, and then Hermione's voice saying, "No!" Then there was another groan, and Severus wondered if he should ask Tunie to check on her. No, he would never settle if he didn't know for certain she was in no danger.

Severus hesitated only a moment longer, and raised his hand to the door. Custom forced him to knock, but there was no answer. So grasping the door handle firmly he turned it. There in the darkness of the room he could see her tossing and turning, she was obviously having a nightmare. Without giving himself time to think, Severus hurried to the side of the bed. A plaintive sob left her lips, and Severus knew he had to wake her. "Miss Grang… Hermione," another sob, "Hermione, you need to wake up."

"No!"

He touched her shoulder gently. Her night dress was wet through, he tried to rouse her again, but his voice was unexpectedly cut off by a scream. "Hermione, wake up!" Severus was trying to be as gentle as he could be, but he realised her dream was escalating.

She suddenly sat bolt upright and her eyes shot open. "Huh?" There were tears running down her face. "What?"

Her confused face looked at him. "You were having a nightmare," he told her.

To his utter astonishment she launched herself at him, grasped him around the waist and started sobbing while clinging to him. No one had ever sought comfort in his arms, and it took him a little while to respond. However, soon—much to his disbelief—he found himself saying the right words. "Shhh, love, I'm here." He didn't even know where they were coming from, they just were. Hermione needed him and he was being there for her. At that moment he also realised what a fool he had been, and exactly how special this felt.

It was as he was thinking all this, he heard, "Severus, please don't leave me."

It was such a quiet plea, but he found himself answering her. "Never… never again," and he sat on the side of the bed, peppering her head with kisses and brushing her hair back with gentle hands. "I'll always be here for you, now settle back to sleep, love," he encouraged.

"As long as you stay," she murmured.

"I'll be here," Severus lay her back down and in disbelief at his own actions, he walked to the other side of the bed. He couldn't believe he was actually going to get into the same bed as Hermione Granger, but somehow he couldn't stop himself.

He transfigured his shirt and trousers onto black sleep pants and a tee shirt, placed his wand on the bedside table and climbed into the bed.

Hermione settled against him and was soon asleep again.

She settled almost immediately, and Severus watched her snuggle into his side. No one had ever wanted to sleep with him like this before. He tried to fathom the sensations coursing through him, but he was unable to. He was just thankful that she had gone back to sleep before his body started to react to her presence.

She was so beautiful, peacefully sleeping. Her lips parted slightly and her long eyelashes brushing her skin. Hermione's breathing became slow and steady once more, and it soon lulled Severus to follow her into sleep.

Christmas morning saw them having their sleep-in. During the night they had turned so that Hermione's back was up against Severus' front, and as he banished the sleep from his mind he became aware that his reaction to her presence had become far more urgent throughout the night.

However, as he moved his hips away, her bottom only snuggled closer. Then she was turning beside him and he was captured by her whisky-coloured eyes blinking sleepily at him. Her mouth turned up into a lazy smile and she twined her arms around his neck. "You know there was a bit I left out of my perfect Christmas day, last night when I told you."

"Indeed," Severus managed, raising an eyebrow like it was normal for him to be in this position.

Hermione's lips brushed his. "Yes," she said against them, "and we shouldn't waste a perfectly good plan, should we?" she punctuated her sentence with more kisses.

"No, I suppose we shouldn't. Which bit did you leave out?"

"The part where the wizard I'm crazy about, makes love to me before we get up."

"And do we know where to find this wizard?" he smiled teasingly at her.

Hermione gave Severus a heated kiss this time. "Mmm-hmm, he's here, right here in my arms."

"Well that's lucky then, isn't it?" and Severus could contain himself no longer, he rolled Hermione onto her back as his mouth found hers. They kissed hungrily, Hermione moaning her pleasure into his mouth. The feel of his tongue sliding over hers and the taste of him was everything she had always thought it would be.

Running his hands over her clothed form, Severus quickly discovered that under her night dress she was naked.

Lifting her bottom, she quickly pulled the night dress over her head to allow him to explore her further. "Oh Severus," she sighed, when his mouth and fingers did just that "Please… I need you," she sighed. "I have waited so long, take me… please," and she was suddenly trying to slip his pants off his hips.

Severus drew a shuddering breath as her small hand closed around him. It had been an age since any hand other than his own had touched him there. She stroked him just right, and he knew he wouldn't last very long.

"Please…. please, do it, I want to come with you inside me."

Because of her still healing ankle, their love making was a little awkward, but neither of them seemed to notice too much as he eagerly complied.

Their coupling was full of urgent need and emotion. Hermione's sighs and hitched breathes as he moved within her only made more of his oxygen giving blood move towards his manhood, and Severus started babbling, "Mine…oohhh so beautiful… my Hermione."

This was the disjointed phrase that pushed Hermione Granger into the most toe-curling release she had ever experienced, and when she finished screaming her pleasure, her lips met his neck to suck and lick as his tendons bulged and he whined almost painfully as he came too.

Severus collapsed on her and panted into her hair. "Perfect… you are so perfect." As his breath returned he kissed her with a heat that had her gaining momentum towards another round, but Severus suddenly gentled her. Considering what she had been through the night before, and how fast this was all happening, he felt they need to pace them, and the fact was that they could come back to bed after breakfast in any case.

Then he remembered he had to finish the perfume. "Hermione, I have to tend something in my lab. Would you like help to get into the bath, love?" Hermione gave him a slightly suspicious look, and Severus said, "It's a surprise for you, and I want to finish it before we open our gifts. I'll get you into the bath and then sort this out before I join you." He kissed her softly. "Besides, it's Christmas we can come back to bed after breakfast if we wish."

Hermione gave him a coy smile. "Very well."

He gave her one last kiss and slid out of the bed. He watched as Hermione's eyes devoured his naked form before she grinned. "You're spectacular," she told him, and laughed gaily when his cheeks coloured slightly.

"I'll get you a robe to put on after your bath," he smiled back, and turned to go into the bathroom. Putting the water on, he came back just as Hermione was casting a post-coital contraceptive charm on herself. Severus nodded his approval. He vanished the bandage from her ankle before lifting her into his arms.

Again her arms instinctively went around his neck, and he carried her into the bathroom, placing her lightly on her feet in the water, before kissing her and watching as he helped her to slide gently into the water. This time it was his turn to check out her body, and he smiled in pleasure at what he saw.

Hurrying back from his lab, he placed a robe on the bed for her and discarding his own he walked into the bathroom. He indicated that she should shimmy forward so he could sit behind her and he got in. They washed each other as Hermione leaned around to accept his kisses, while his soaped fingers explored her body.

The five days of staying off her mended ankle wen by in a contented haze of quiet reading by the fire and talking, lots of talking, as well as many wonderful bedroom adventures.

It took more than the five days, but Severus started to open up to her as he learned to trust her, and he told her the horror story that made up his life. She also told him what she'd been through, and they discovered they had an understanding of each other's sacrifices that few people would have understood.

It also allowed Severus to gather information on her. Hermione talked about the war, and her greatest disappointment at not being able to undo her memory charm on her parents, and Severus asked her exactly what she'd done and what she'd tried.

Then it struck him that with the addition of Legilimency he could give her the greatest present anyone could, and he started setting his plan into motion.

Her ankle had remained tender for longer than Poppy Pomfrey had told her it would, before she felt able to put weight on it all day. A whole week passed in blissful togetherness and it was New Year's Day when they finally went for the walk they had planned for Christmas Day. They made it down to the frozen lake, and Severus sat her on a seat after clearing the snow and wetness off it. So when she finally was able to walk unaided by her crutches, she smiled at her wizard. "Now we can go for that walk," she told him.

"If you're strong enough, I have organised something for us to do," Severus told her, giving her a kiss.

"What?" she asked excitedly. He had disappeared several times over the last couple of days, telling her he was organising something, and last night he had returned looking very smug.

"I told you I was organising a surprise," he said, and handed her a letter.

Hermione gasped. It was addressed in her mother's handwriting. She eagerly ripped the envelope open.

 _Hello dearest girl,_

 _Your friend Severus has told us everything, and why you did what you did. While we might not agree with how you did it, we are grateful you saved us._

 _Severus has helped us make a quick trip to England to be reunited with you, and we would be pleased if you would come to lunch today at home._

 _All our love  
Mum and Dad _

Hermione just looked at Severus and her lip quivered. "You wonderful man," she said in a very shaky voice, and grabbed him, hugging him tightly. "Thank y-you," she stuttered, her heart thumping in her chest. "You are my Christmas magic," she cried, clinging to him.

Severus revelled in having her praise. Here was another first, and he gave in to her completely. He held her tightly and rubbed her back as she cried in happiness, and more so when she pulled back slightly and started kissing along his jaw.

He allowed it for a moment, and then claimed her mouth, kissing her as he'd never done before. Having met her parents he'd realised that her father was substantially older than her mother, and this allowed him to have hope that he was not too old for her, and that they might be able to actually make it work.

As they broke their kiss, Severus murmured, "You better get going, they'll be waiting for you."

"Then you better come too," Hermione answered, smiling at him.

"Me, pet?"

"Yes, I want it understood right from the start that you are not just 'my friend', and if they have any objections, considering their relationship, they do not have a leg to stand on," and she grinned at him.

"I believe you have a Slytherin streak, my dear."

Hermione just smiled at him, and he pulled her into his embrace and apparated them both away.

~~~FINIS~~~


End file.
